Chapter 58 Baby

Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Baby

At the hospital, Li Yue first had her blood drawn, but the blood test results would take several hours to come out, so Li Yue had to take a test strip to the toilet to get tested.

Actually, she knew in her heart whether or not she should get tested.

She calculated that her period was a few days late, but she thought it was because she was too tired lately and didn't think about it at all. She also thought that a few days' delay was normal. In addition, she had been taking tests for the past few months, and they were basically all negative, so she often teased him for his poor aim.

The man didn't care at all, and even said to her with a sense of accomplishment, "Being able to miss every time, how can that not be a talent? Some people can't miss even if they want to."

He'd said everything, good and bad.

A few minutes later, two red lines appeared on the test strip...

Upon hearing this, the man couldn't hide his smile: "I told you, it's fate."

Li Yue looked at him speechlessly: "What fate? It was all man-made, wasn't it? It was that time..."

Which time?

"That time in the middle of the night."

Several days ago, Ling Jianwei went on a business trip and returned at 1 a.m.

He unlocked the door without waking her. After washing up, Li Yue still hadn't woken up. He loved doing things while she was asleep, and so did Li Yue. She had been busy all day and slept so soundly that she even thought she was dreaming…

After the intense pleasure, she didn't think much of it, believing it was impossible.

But now, what was once impossible has become possible.

"Well, my marksmanship is pretty good; I hit it on the first try," the man continued smugly.

Seeing his upturned expression, Li Yue felt a little worried.

Although they had already decided to have a child during this period, and both of them were at the right age, which was the best time, and they had long been mentally prepared, once it became a reality, Li Yue felt that she was not ready.

After the blood test results came back, the doctor gave her some instructions. When she got home, Ling Jianwei saw that she still looked dazed. She hugged her and nuzzled her head, saying, "What are you afraid of? I'm here for you."

Li Yue asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Ling Jianwei said, "Let's go to the bookstore and buy some guidebooks first."

From that day until the child was born.

Ling Jianwei became a chef, nutritionist, health care specialist, and childcare provider.

At first, Ling Jianwei asked if she wanted to go back to her parents' house, since her parents had a nanny and family members there, but Li Yue refused.

He said, "Fine, leaving you to them makes it seem like I have nothing to do."

Ling's mother would occasionally send things over, urging Li Yue to move back, but Li Yue said it wasn't necessary. She also wanted Ling Jianwei to be involved in the childbirth process.

In the early stages, Li Yue felt nothing unusual and was no different from usual. However, the morning sickness was terrible. She vomited everything she ate, and all the weight she had painstakingly gained was lost.

Worried, Ling Jianwei took her to see a doctor, who said it was normal and she would get better after a while. She also consulted some experienced neighbors and tried every means to ensure her nutrition.

During the Spring Festival, Li Yue got through the difficult period and her spirits improved. When she went to bed at night, Ling Jianwei touched her arm and said, "Why are you still so thin? You can't tell at all when you wear thicker clothes."

Li Yue said, "I'm not showing yet; the fetus develops rapidly in the later stages."

When spring arrived and flowers bloomed, Li Yue made several small garments. Since she didn't know whether they were for boys or girls, she had to choose cotton fabric that could be worn by both.

Inevitably, I asked him, "Do you hope it's a boy or a girl?"

He said, "Whatever."

Li Yue: "Okay, I'm fine with whatever. But I might only have this one child."

Just imagine, when this child is three and a half years old, the college entrance examination will be reinstated, and she will have to go to school. After finishing school, she will be in her early thirties, and then the one-child policy will be in effect... The probability of having a second child is rather low.

He nodded: "Either is fine."

Li Yue then asked, "Have you decided on a name for the child?"

He said, "I'll think about it after the baby is born."

Li Yue made a request: "I want to give my child a name similar to yours—simple yet grand, and meaningful. Who chose your name?"

The man frowned: "It was taken by one of my dad's superiors, but he's already gone."

Li Yue: "Uh, then we'll think about it ourselves, and you should think about it when you have time."

The man didn't even think about it.

Li Yue had no choice but to come up with a few names herself, but naming a child can be a real headache. She was not satisfied with either the boy's or girl's names she came up with, and seeing that he didn't care at all, she couldn't help but get angry at him: "You don't care about your own child."

He remained nonchalant: "I don't have a talent for naming things. Waiting until we know if it's a boy or a girl before choosing a name will at least halve the difficulty."

Li Yue raised her voice and called him by his full name: "Ling Jianwei!"

The man hugged her and soothed her, saying, "Alright, alright, leave the name to me. I'll make sure you're satisfied. If you're not, we won't accept it. Just focus on getting better now." He added casually, "Maybe one day your ideal name will just pop up on its own."

The naming process is temporarily put on hold. As the weather gets warmer, by May, you'll see little girls in the compound wearing all sorts of dresses, with their hair in braids and adorned with bright flowers. Although the baby's gender is still uncertain, Li Yue couldn't resist and secretly made two pretty little dresses.

This seems to be a bias hidden deep within her, or perhaps a way of compensating herself for her childhood.

Ling Jianwei looked at the little dress and asked with a smile, "What if I have a son? Are you planning to give me a daughter as a replacement?"

Li Yue shook her head and said coldly, "If it's a son, I'll give the little dress away."

"Really not having any more children?"

"While I can't say for sure, I probably won't have a baby in the next few years."

He maintained his indifferent attitude: "It's up to you to decide."

That day, Gu Yanmei came to visit Li Yue. She was studying obstetrics and gynecology nursing and said with a smile, "Your baby is most likely a son."

Li Yue: "You can tell?"

There are no ultrasound scans now.

Gu Yanmei nodded: "It's pretty close. I'm doing my internship at the hospital now, and I've seen a lot of pregnant women. I have a gut feeling about it."

Li Yue said, "You've only been studying for less than two years, and you're already starting your internship?"

Gu Yanmei responded, "We are now combining learning with practice. Some classes are even held directly in the delivery room. We will be able to work next year."

It has to be said that among the familiar people, Gu Yanmei has changed the most. She has not only become more confident, mature, and steady, but she has also found a doctor as a partner. The girl who used to cry and whimper is now able to stand on her own.

Gu Yanmei laughed: "At first I was quite envious of Rongrong, envious that she could get married so early and find someone to rely on. But after I returned to the city, for a while she came to me every day crying and complaining about how unhappy her marriage was and how Dongping seemed to have changed his mind... I got a little annoyed by it and gradually stopped having any contact with her."

Li Yue said, "Your circle and knowledge are gradually falling out of sync with hers, so it's normal that you don't have any contact anymore."

“Yes, if it weren’t for Battalion Commander Ling’s help, I might still be a sent-down youth in the Great Northern Wilderness.” She looked at Li Yue. “I’m very grateful.”

"You're welcome. You've also helped out since we've been together."

Gu Yanmei was stunned: "What effort did I put in?"

“If you hadn’t told my aunt that I went to the train station and they hadn’t caught me, I might have gone south.”

"So, I'm your matchmaker."

“Of course it counts,” Li Yue said. “And that old lady who gave me a chop to the neck counts too.”

"Haha, it's mainly thanks to her."

"..."

One day in June 1974, Li Yue suddenly felt pain in her abdomen. Following the instructions in the book, she counted the pattern of the contractions and realized that she was about to give birth.

Ling Jianwei took her to the hospital, and her parents rushed over, but she still hadn't met the criteria for entering the delivery room by evening, so Ling Jianwei had to call them back.

After a night of torment, she finally gave birth to her baby at dawn the next day, and both mother and child are safe and sound.

Li Yue was so exhausted she was almost collapsing. Ling Jianwei held the baby in swaddling clothes, looked at the little guy sleeping soundly, and scolded, "You brat, what have you done to your mother? And you're sleeping like it's perfectly normal."

After breakfast, the two elders came over again. Ling's mother, holding the baby, said happily, "Today is the first day of the lunar calendar. It's easy to remember, and it's also an auspicious day because someone is getting married."

Ling's father then asked, "Have you decided on a name yet?"

"No," Li Yue replied. "Dad, do you have any good suggestions?"

Mr. Ling smiled and said, "What objection could I possibly have? I know he won't like the name I chose. Let him choose it himself."

Li Yue and Ling Jianwei exchanged a glance, both looking helpless.

They've worn out that dictionary during this time, but they still haven't decided on a name.

Ling Jianwei said, "No rush, it will come slowly."

Li Yue teased him, "It can jump right up to you?"

Ling Jianwei: "If all else fails, choose one from the backup options."

We had thought of a few names before, which weren't bad, but none of them had that "it's the name" feel to them. So we both tacitly agreed to keep them as backups.

Now, Li Yue looked at him and asked, "Are you really going to pick a backup?"

The man gritted his teeth: "I'll think of something else, I'll definitely come up with a name that will satisfy you."

On the first night after giving birth, Ling Jianwei did not go home; instead, she had to share a small bed with Li Yue.

Li Yue was speechless: "I already told you to go home. I don't need anyone to take care of me here, and the baby is in the nursery."

The big man only said, "How can I feel at ease going home alone while you and your daughter are in the hospital? I offered you a private room, but you said you didn't need any special treatment."

“But this is a room for two, which is already quite special,” Li Yue said.

No matter what, the man insisted on squeezing in with her for one night.

The woman in the next bed was pregnant and had come to the hospital because she wasn't feeling well. Her three- or four-year-old child was also there, running around and pointing out the window, shouting, "Mommy, the moon is so big!"

The new mother smiled and said to her child, "It's the first day of the lunar month today, so where did this moon come from? It's probably just a big lamp."

Ling Jianwei glanced out the window subconsciously; indeed, there was no moon on the first day of the lunar month.

Li Yue was exhausted and went to sleep early. Ling Jianwei drew the curtain and held her as she slept. Looking at her weak appearance, he kissed her forehead.

The person in his arms was sleeping soundly, but Ling Jianwei couldn't sleep. He thought about how this child had also been born before dawn; they were truly destined for each other, as if they were meant to be family. Many times, he woke up in the middle of the night, looking at the cat-like woman in his arms, and wondered if it was all real.

The morning sunlight streamed into the ward through the curtains. When Li Yue woke up, Ling Jianwei was already up and asked her if she wanted to open the curtains. Li Yue nodded.

When asked if it would sting her eyes, Li Yue said no.

Another day passed, and the handsome man stood by the window, sunlight falling on his refined face. He turned around and saw the person he loved deeply holding the baby and making him happy.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed as if she were enveloped in a soft moonlight.

Somehow, inspiration, like a flash of lightning, suddenly appeared before him.

The man slowly spoke: "How about the little guy's name, Ling Shuo?"

Li Yue looked up.

“The ‘shuo’ in ‘shuoyue’ refers to the moon on the first day of the first lunar month.” Ling Jianwei’s eyes flickered slightly. “My surname and your given name are both inside.”

In an instant, Li Yue was struck in the heart.

...

The baby's name has finally been decided. After being discharged from the hospital, Li Yue returned to her parents' home to recuperate during her postpartum period. The whole family watched the baby grow up little by little.

When the little one was born, his skin was a bit red, but they said it would gradually become very fair.

Sure enough, little Ling Shuo grew up to be fairer and fairer, changing every day. In addition, he was handsome and loved by everyone. The old man loved to take the child for a walk and show off his grandson.

Some say the little guy's nose looks like his father's and his eyes look like his mother's, while others say he's destined for great things.

The old man always came back with a smug look on his face.

He had actually been a grandfather for a long time, but because his two eldest sons lived in other places, he had never been able to spend time with their children. Only Xiao Lingshuo was a child that the old man had raised single-handedly. In addition, as he got older, the bond between the grandfather and grandson was extraordinary.

One day, Li Yue was bored and calculated Xiao Lingshuo's age. In the year 2000, the boy was 26 years old, and in 2010 he was only 36 years old. In the world of booming online novels, wasn't he the legendary third-generation tycoon of Beijing who could command the wind and rain?

Good, good, very good.

We've opened up a new map.

However, these are all just Li Yue's personal fantasies. In fact, she also worries that if the child is spoiled by his grandfather, he will grow up to be a bad person.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and soon they welcomed the Spring Festival of 1975.

At this time, the streets and alleys had not changed much, and the children were growing up healthily. Ling Jianwei suggested, "How about we move back there after the New Year?"

Li Yue asked, "Are your parents willing to part with their child?"

Ling Jianwei said, "Then let's leave the child here and go live a quiet life."

Li Yue smiled and said, "You're quite good at planning."

After thinking it over, he still felt uneasy and said to Ling Jianwei, "I still think we should be stricter with the child and not let him develop a lot of bad habits."

Ling Jianwei's tone turned sinister in an instant: "That's easy, just give him the same kind of education that the old man gave me back then."

Li Yue rubbed her forehead.

At this moment, little Ling Shuo was fair and tender, his little hands were tightly clenched, his little legs were kicking wildly, and he was burping in his swaddling clothes. Meanwhile, his "evil" parents had already formulated a parenting policy of "spare the rod and spoil the child".

...